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Style Starts Now!

March 3, 2015

Returning from my trip to Maryland to visit my Dad and family with my kids for his 90th birthday, I am reminded how lucky I am to get to do what I do.

I designed my business precisely so I could make the time and space to make trips like this one. I love my work and I love my life -- each inform the other.

Spending time with my kids, sharing those experiences with my friends and family, celebrating my Dad and his amazing life -- all of these roll up into who I am.

Style is honoring the unique pieces of yourself and allowing them to flower.

Jean-Paul Gaultier has this great quote about about personal style, "being who you are and being proud of where you are from."

For him, that means the Breton Stripe is a theme in almost every collection. For me, that means a mix of comfort, practicality, prep and a respect for occasion being part of every outfit I wear -- that's the Washingtonian aesthetic.

My business is built around the concept that you can bring to bear all these pieces of yourself in your personal style. It's like a collection of visual clues for whomever you're going to meet or whomever is already part of your life. It attracts those whose goals and values match yours and reminds them of who you are.

I am so honored to get to do this work -- to help you create "aha" moments and collaborate with you to craft a style that honors both where you're from AND where you're going.

"I've been spending more time getting to know myself and
addressing my private side. It was
really amazing to see Allison pick up on that through the process and
find colors and styles that express my quieter and more
mysterious self. I was surprised and impressed to see how that came
through without me mentioning it -- and I am now very excited to share this part of me with the
world!"

What Flatters. It starts with knowing what flatters you: the colors, cuts, textures and patterns that look best on you. These elements come from your facial features, your hair and your skin. The right color can make you look awake; the wrong pattern will overwhelm you and speak for you.

What Matters. The next piece is knowing what's important to you. What do you want people to see when they first meet you? Is it how much money you have? Is it where you're from? Or is it something more subtle, like your integrity or your drive? All of these nuances can be expressed through the way you dress. Style is a language. Choose your words!

Claim Your Dream. Knowing where you want to go is as important as knowing who you are right now. In fact, it may be an easier question to answer. One of the ways actors get into character is to dress the part. You can do the same. I'm not encouraging you to be dishonest, but rather reach for what you want.

Translate to Communicate. You can take these three elements and translate them into visual terms.

What flatters = the color palette, patterns, textures and cuts that look best on you are all visual elements.

Your dream = who does the woman you want to be look like?To find the answer to this question, we ping-pong back and forth to find an inspiration for your look.

Making It Effortless. Once you have defined your personal style, streamlining the wardrobe is easy. You let go of whatever doesn't match your vision and start to build your wardrobe with pieces that do.

However, letting go can be very, very hard! It is a huge help to have support here. You need someone encouraging you to reach for your vision and not lose faith in the goal.

A Wardrobe That Works FOR You. Your wardrobe needs to function with your life, so if you're a Mom home with small children, your fabrics should be tough and easily washable. The same is true for a road warrior, but the cuts and types of clothing would be completely different. When you're both, this requires dual-track wardrobe that feeds the needs of both functions. All of this is easily do-able -- even within a budget.

When you have everything you need, when it fits and feels wonderful on and makes sense for your life, THEN your style has become effortless. Once you've achieved it, you're never going to want to go back!

February 19, 2015

In February, I was honored to be invited to host one of my Style Starts Now! Workshops in Montclair, NJ as a launch activity for the awesome Krisztina Crane's new studio space. In March, I will be hosting my last Workshop -- in The Hague at the American Women's Club.

The workshops are such fun! They are an intimate, nurturing experience designed to help launch you on your own personal style journey.

One of my pillars is transparency, so with these workshops, I committed giving you the elements I use when I work with private clients. For many of you, this may be the first opportunity you've been given to truly think through what style can mean for you.

We begin with an exploration of the principles of personal style.

Because my approach to style is an invitation, I encourage each of you to truly value what you have been given and think about how to highlight each aspect of yourself you value most. From color palettes to facial analysis, I present tips and tools you can implement immediately.

Style is nothing without substance. In the Workshop, we use an interactive approach to walk through each element of personal style so you know exactly what you want to convey.

After we've done our deep thinking, we switch gears to work with three style experts: my photographer, my wellness coach and myself!

Working with a professional will fast-forward your experience with anything.

Learning how to take a great selfie is a great way to instantly feel better about how you look. Having time with me allows you to ask those personal questions that need one-on-one examination. With my wellness expert, you receive pampering and education all rolled into one to emerge feeling refreshed and renewed.

Positivity is another one of my pillars, so we conclude with a celebration. We talk about all the wonderful things you're already doing to support your style. While going through the list may spark some ideas, the exercise is meant to help you incorporate style in a sustainable way.

After taking this deep dive into style, you will find yourself thinking about style in a whole new way!

Here's what the most recent attendees said were the best things about the Workshop:

"Laughing with other women. Taking the time to think about my style and hair and make-up. You are wonderful and giving. I loved this!"

"Reconnecting with my dream. Meeting some fab ladies. And...maybe even getting a photo of myself I actually like! I really liked the balance of knowledge about style and connecting it to personal aspirations."

"The camaraderie, going from one station to the next -- it was fun! I enjoyed receiving recommendations about where to buy -- Nordstrom's and certain brands like the Sorel boots we discussed."

"Talking about style and I learned about myself, too!"

Big thanks to Mara Leff, Krisztina Crane and Julianne Thierry for their amazing support at the Montclair Workshop. Go Team Style!!

February 16, 2015

I just came back from two amazing trips. Both were completely different and both were absolutely proof of concept.

My vision for you is one of beauty, confidence and ease.

Every single day, I walked out of my door feeling wonderful and excited to fulfill my purpose -- whether it was lounging in Maui or presenting my Workshop in Montclair.

Even an unexpected opportunity showed how my signature style process works to your advantage.

I was invited to a birthday bash at the exclusive Soho House. Instead of being stressed, I swung by Bloomie's and picked up exactly the right piece to finish my look -- on sale, no less -- in twenty minutes!

Do you want to feel the same easy confidence about your style? I know it's possible for you!I use the same process on myself as I do with my clients. I created it and I test it -- every day.

Join me for the last Workshop of my launch year to learn more about how you can feel beautiful and confident every day. Want to know more? Click here.

February 9, 2015

I asked trainer Michele Gillman to do a guest post on my blog because I love the power of her positivity.

She has an amazing way to contextualize fitness within the demands of our busy lives.

I knew she would be able to speak beautifully to you to get you ready for the challenge of Valentine's Day.

Enjoy!

xxxoo

Allison

by Michele Gillman

For some women, Valentine's Day is met with great
anticipation to celebrate with their special someone.For many of us though, not only is there a
lack of excitement but a growing sense of anxiety and a large part of that is a
result of feeling less than comfortable in our bodies.

So here is the question that weighs heavily on so many of
us... how do we approach Valentine's Day when our body isn't
"perfect?"

First of all, let's clear up one small detail.The word "perfect" is an illusion
because there is no such thing.

Thanks
to airbrushing and high powered photo-editing, magazine covers with supermodels
and celebrities lead us to believe that a flawless body is something we all can
and should achieve.

As smart and savvy women
we may understand this illusion on an intellectual level, but it still contributes
to us feeling inadequate and unsatisfied with our bodies.

I truly believe EVERY woman deserves to feel
confident, comfortable and even sexy in their body. Real women with real bodies of all shapes and
sizes CAN feel good about celebrating Valentine's Day, and the good news is the
solutions already lie within each of us.

First, it begins with confidence...

It's all about attitude and approach ladies!Confidence is not about having wrinkle-free
skin and a size 2 body.It's about
embracing every aspect of who you are and that includes the flaws.It's about owning your power as a woman
regardless of age, size and shape.It's about
how you carry yourself whether you're wearing a sweatshirt and jeans, a pantsuit
or lingerie.

By no means do I claim to be an "expert" on men
(insert a chuckle from my husband), but if there is one thing I've learned it's
that our guys do not enjoy listening to us complain about our weight and the
flaws WE see in our bodies.

Can you imagine spending a romantic Valentine's Day
dinner listening to him talk about his horrible boss, how the bills are piling
up and how he doesn't get enough sex?I
think not!

In fact, nothing spoils a
mood faster than negative talk.Challenge
yourself to keep your conversation positive and remember... your valentine is
with you for WHO you are, not whether your breasts or butt defy the laws of
gravity.

So if confidence is key, how do we celebrate Valentine's Day
feeling confident and, dare I say, sexy? Find a few ways to move into your Valentine's day (and
night) HAPPY!

It may sound overly simple, but before we can
make anyone else happy we must first do that for ourselves.

Have you ever noticed that when you are in a
good mood, everything in life just seems to flow better?In my house, we have a joke about "a
happy wife is a happy life."Yes,
it's a joke, but it really does have validity.I live with all men (one hubby and two teenage sons) and when mom is happy,
everyone else seems to follow along.It
just goes to show how much power we really do have over our surroundings.

Try one or more of these suggestions
for getting yourself in a great Valentine's Day mood:

ruffledblog.com

*Buy yourself flowers.That's right, I said it!It
doesn't matter if you pick one from the garden or buy a whole bouquet, what
girl doesn't like flowers?

*Get a mani/pedi... it's a simple thing but the world is
just a happier place when our nails look good.

*Create a special Valentine's Day playlist of your favorite
songs.Music can have such a powerful
impact on our emotions, so create a playlist that speaks to you and the mood
you want to set.Listen to it throughout
your day and as you get ready.

*Clean up your eating for a few days prior to the
14th.I did not say diet!Cleaning up your eating simply means making
good food choices.We tend to beat
ourselves up when we make so-called "bad" choices so increase your
confidence by eating healthy.

*To me, Valentine's Day is about decadence and indulgence.
As you celebrate, enjoy a beautiful glass of your favorite wine, a piece of
rich chocolate cake or dinner at your favorite restaurant but don't overdo
it.Let's be honest, when we stuff
ourselves to the point of being uncomfortable it can be a real mood spoiler.

*Do something active.We always feel better after we exercise so find a way to get some form
of activity in before you celebrate.What exercise you do does not matter, it's the confidence and
satisfaction you'll have knowing that you did it.Again, it's all about attitude and approach!

technologylessons.com

*Amp up the positive talk!I saved this one for last because it is probably the most important and
yet the most difficult.

As women, we can
be so critical of ourselves and fill our heads with negativity about everything
we don't like about our bodies.

Whether
it's your eyes, your booty or your hair, find something positive about one of
your physical traits and focus on that.When negative thoughts creep up (and they do), go back to that part of
our body that you love and keep your focus there.

If this holiday has been a struggle for you in the past, challenge yourself to make it different this year.

Valentine's Day, like any other day of the
year is what YOU make of it!

OWN your BODY, and the size and shape of it!

OWN your FLAWS, and the beauty in them!

And OWN your POWER to celebrate a
confident and sexy Valentine's Day this year!

February 4, 2015

My client has been a Mom for over five years, but her kids are growing older. She's been building a business that will allow her the flexibility and contact with her kids she enjoyed during her Mommy years, but will also provide the intellectual stimulation and income she did not!

When we were talking about her shopping style, she said something that really struck a chord and made me think of you. She said, "I would never think about going to the supermarket without a shopping list, but when I go clothes shopping, I just get overwhelmed, it's too hot and I just buy something to get it over with it."

Does this sound familiar?

It's a cycle that feeds on itself. You buy something "practical" that "will go with everything" but you get it home and it just doesn't satisfy your hunger.

"Style" has nothing to do with you because it feels unnatural and awkward and -- really -- who has the time?

Now, my client is taking the plunge to educate herself about what looks good on her and what will feel wonderful. We're going to build her a wardrobe that will seamlessly take her from pick-up to drop-off and client meetings in-between. It'll work when she goes to walk her dog, but she'll also have something fun to wear out with her husband!

She didn't think this was possible for her, but we're going to make it happen -- together.

This is also possible for you.

You're a powerful and amazing woman!

I can't stop thinking about how much is possible for you. All you need to do is take the first step!

I am going to make it easy for you.

I am offering a workshop in Montclair, NJ on February 7th and one in The Hague on March 14th. This is the first, beautiful step onto a journey that will bring you style with ease.

It's your time to step up and create the style you want so you can enjoy the life you have already built.

Do something just for you. Sign up for Style Starts Now! in Montclair on 2/7 or in The Hague on 3/14.

From Beth about Style Starts Now:You inspired me! I just stayed up WAY too late purging all the clothes from my closet that don't fit, are worn out or make me feel frumpy! Less is more! The funny thing is that I feel like I have more clothes than before because I can see the good stuff again! From Mara about Gratitude Course Correction:Just finished working all day today (Saturday)...I read this [email] first, and it was so very uplifting, I had to write and say thanks!From Maxine:I love what you wrote about beauty. It's beautiful!